..These observations led to the hypothesis that ectopic pregnancy is associated with a perturbation in levels of endocannabinoids and FAAH activity and that such changes are associated with impaired tubal function...

The effect of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system, Mirena® on mast cell numbers in women with endometriosis undergoing symptomatic treatment

..g. N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D), forms the endocannabinoid system. High anandamide levels are associated with tubal arrest of embryos in mice and may have a similar role in women...

Histomorphometric evaluation of cannabinoid receptor and anandamide modulating enzyme expression in the human endometrium through the menstrual cycle

..These data indicate that elements of the 'endocannabinoid system' coexist in many cell types within the uterus and may provide insight into the sites of action of endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids during endometrial transformation...

..However, little is known regarding the presence or role of the endocannabinoid system in myometrial function. Here the presence of the endocannabinoid system and signalling properties of cannabinoid receptors were characterized...

Expression of the endocannabinoid system in human first trimester placenta and its role in trophoblast proliferation

..0015), and in plasma from maternal circulation compared with umbilical artery (P=0.0152). The relevance of these changes in AEA concentrations at the maternal:fetal interface requires further investigation...

..In early pregnancy, increased plasma levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) are associated with miscarriage through mechanisms that might affect the developing placenta or maternal decidua...

..We conclude that there are intricate molecular interactions involved in the success of early pregnancy and that the endocannabinoid system, potentially interacting with the immune system, is a key contributor to these events...

A solid-phase method for the extraction and measurement of anandamide from multiple human biomatrices

..These data indicate that GRK6 recruitment is a cardinal effector of OTR responsiveness and provide mechanistic insight into the likely in vivo regulation of OTR signaling in uterine smooth muscle...

Localisation and function of the endocannabinoid system in the human ovary

Mona R El-TalatiniDepartment of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, Leicester, United KingdomPLoS ONE 4:e4579. 2009

..Although anandamide (AEA) had been measured in human follicular fluid and is suggested to play a role in ovarian follicle and oocyte maturity, its exact source and role in the human ovary remains unclear...

..Additionally, the possibility that plasma and tissue AEA and other cannabinoids may represent reliable diagnostic markers of natural and assisted reproduction and pregnancy outcomes in women will be discussed...

The effect of mifepristone (RU486) on the endocannabinoid system in human plasma and first-trimester trophoblast of women undergoing termination of pregnancy

..This review discusses the endocrinological aspects of recurrent miscarriage based on the literature from January 2004 to January 2005, elaborating on the advances in the field and their impact on diagnosis and management...

..We tested the hypothesis that plasma endocannabinoid levels are similarly perturbed in women with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a condition where the aetiopathogenesis is still unknown, compared to normal pregnant controls...

Fluctuation in anandamide levels from ovulation to early pregnancy in in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer women, and its hormonal regulation

..Further evidence from adequately powered multi-centered RCTs is required prior to recommending LMWH for routine clinical use. This review highlights the need for future basic science and clinical research in this important field...

Distribution and function of the endocannabinoid system in the rat and human bladder

..This study demonstrates that arbitrary selection of reference genes for normalisation in RT-qPCR studies in ectopic pregnancy without validation, risk producing inaccurate data and should therefore be discouraged...

..These data provide insights into the in situ regulation of this receptor subtype and may inform pathophysiological functioning in preterm labor and other conditions involving uterine smooth muscle dysregulation...

..The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy and side effects of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of premenopausal patients with endometriosis associated with chronic pelvic pain refractory to conventional treatment...

Population-based study of the outcome following the prenatal diagnosis of cystic hygroma

..0001). While it is reassuring to note good agreement between chromatographic assays, this study reveals significant short-comings in the ELISA, which brings into question its continued use in its present form...

The one-stop recurrent miscarriage clinic: an evaluation of its effectiveness and outcome

..Results from such techniques are disappointing. The aim of this audit was to compare the results of karyotyping IUFD by invasive testing (amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling) and solid tissues (skin biopsy)...